Raising the Stakes
by EnigmaticPseudonym
Summary: First in the As Luck Would Have It Universe. After Ron's death, Kim tries to live a normal life as a UN delegate. Meanwhile, Gemini plans an attack on the UN an attack that could cripple the world. Rated T for some violence and relationship dynamics.
1. Demons from the Past

Author's Note: Hey everyone! Well…This is my first story in my "As Luck Would Have It" Universe. Hopefully, I'll get good reviews from this one. Now, into the story!

Disclaimer: Disney owns Kim Possible (the show and the character), Ron Stoppable, and Gemini, but I own the story line and other characters that don't appear on the show.

P.S. The events depicted in this story are completely fictional, and any similarities to actual events are unintentional. **FYI, assume that there was a "So the Drama" and that Season 4 existed.**

* * *

Raising the Stakes

By EnigmaticPseudonym

Chapter 1: Demons From the Past

_Undisclosed Building_

_Long Island, New York, NY_

_1650 Hours, Eastern Standard Time (EST)_

Lightning streaked across the sky, and the boom of thunder following suit. New York was under an unrelenting barrage of rain and sound waves. New Yorkers dove from cover to cover, doorways to cars and train stations, as they avoided being pelted by the falling droplets of water. As fully-packed busses passed the United Nations Headquarters, the usually cheerful symbol of international peace and security became a dark tower casting a foreboding shadow on the city.

"Team Alpha, repeat, Team Alpha…Are you in position over the target building, over?" he grumbled into the Bluetooth™ intercom earpiece suspended on his ear. "All teams, support positions for Team Alpha."

Unbeknownst to the population, 36 men exited a high-tech submarine near the seaside perimeter of the Headquarters. They quickly divided themselves into fire teams of six (from Bravo to Golf), donned their combat uniforms, and loaded their M4 assault rifles. One of the officers raised his arms and quickly retracted them, using the standard military hand-signal for tactical columns. The men, still in their six-man groups, fell into two lines and swiftly disappeared into the shadows.

A figure, clad in camouflaged military fatigues (abandoning the standard red and black jumpsuit because of necessity), studied the UN Headquarters across the river with his binoculars. Hidden on the roof of a building, somewhere on the eastern tip of Long Island, he had an excellent view of his men's activities within the perimeter of the UN General Assembly. Surprisingly, his only working eye had the clarity and sharpness of a hawk's eye. He shook the water out of his hair and rechecked his GPS device to ensure that his men were in position. Although short in stature and a little bit on the plump side, he made up for it with sheer, hellish brutality. One couldn't become the leader of an international organization built on chaos and destruction relying only on skill. Plus, he had a hand that could fire a multitude of deadly weapons. _Fear_, he says, _is the only way to control your subordinates_.

"Negative, Gemini, sir," Agent Alpha replied, his voice clear and concise over the communications network. "Team Alpha is still five minutes from the DZ, out."

"Bah! We have vehicles more advanced than the US Army, and you fools can't even get to the most important mission in the history of this organization ON TIME!" Gemini screamed into his earpiece. The constant patter of the rain on a tin roof didn't help his temper much. Massaging his temples and regaining his composure, Gemini whispered calmly to his best agent, "Fine. Just be ready to drop, and next time Alpha… Do it on time, or I'll be forced to "eject" you. Gemini, over and out."

Looking out over the churning waters of the Atlantic, and an evil smirk formed on the tyrant's lips._ Where Dr. Drakken, Killigan, and Fist all failed, I will succeed in conquering the world._

* * *

_W.W.E.E High-Speed Stealth Hovercraft_

_Somewhere in the Middle of the Atlantic Ocean_

_1655 Hour EST_

Agent Alpha shivered in fear. Although he was considered the most skilled of all of W.W.E.E.'s agents, nothing scared him more than his employer. In fact, the whole network of the _World Wide Evil Empire_ was frightened of Gemini. He had even heard rumors of 'useless' agents being shot out of the base on rocket-powered chairs, or dropped into endless pits. Alpha just couldn't comprehend the fact that his leader could be that cruel…or could he?

Shaking his head and mentally berating himself for losing his cool (the only thing that had managed to keep him alive in situations like this, AND stay in the good graces of Gemini), Alpha stood up and looked out the window. With only a few minutes left before the jump, he analyzed his current situation. His team of six commandos was on a stealth-enhanced hover craft en route to New York City. They were cruising at the speed of 800 kilometers per hour: twice the speed of a Maglev train or a 747. Retaliation from the US Air Force or any branch of the US Defense network was not a problem. They were virtually undetectable to any type of aircraft detection the USAF could throw at them.

Instead of wearing their standard red jumpsuits, they were wearing Army Combat Uniforms (ACU's), light Kevlar vests, wool masks, and helmets. Having built-in eyepieces, secure Bluetooth™ inter-personal communication, and satellite uplink that constantly delivered information, the helmets provided the wearer a real-time overview of his current situation. Unlike their counterparts on the ground, they were wielding experimental fully automatic lasers, with settings all the way from Less-Than-Lethal, to a shot from a 5.56 millimeter NATO weapon. Tonight, their weapons were strictly set to LTL since their targets were UN Delegates. W.W.E.E. really went overkill on their equipment for this mission.

Crackling to life, the PA system on the hover craft blasted out a message from the heavy-accented Southern pilot. "Team Alpha, Hover Craft Papa Delta is at 30,000 feet, speed is decreasing to less than 80 kilometers per hour. The aircraft will lose stealth ability when the rear ramp is released, so jump quickly. Stand at the entrance and prepare for the High Altitude Low Opening jump. Have a nice flight." The pneumatic locks hissed as they unlocked the door.

Agent Alpha screamed over the drone of the engines, "Okay, Team Alpha. Remember your mission: secure the building, secure the General Assembly Chamber… Yes, Alpha Three that's the BIG room where all of the UN delegates are, and exfiltrate through the rear of the compound. Avoid a firefight if possible, but don't hesitate to stun a guard that you come across. You are elite! So act like it out there!" The door opened and he shifted his gaze from his men to the flickering lights of the Big Apple down below. "Now! Go, go, go!"

Seven operatives gracefully dropped out of the speeding hover craft, and accelerated towards the United Nations Headquarters below them. They had the element of surprise, and stealth was the key. Six fire-teams (from Bravo to Golf) waited anxiously down below, their gun sights trained on patrolling guards. Operation Assault on Freedom had begun.

* * *

Author's Note: Resolution- List of actions a country wants accomplished regarding an issue 

_UN General Assembly (GA) Conference Building_

_Manhattan Island, New York_

_1700 Hours EST_

A stall's door slammed open as a blur flew over to the sink. The blur stopped and focused into a woman in her late 20's, dressed in a crisp navy blue suit. She placed her purse gently on a dry area of marble, careful that it stayed upright. Rosy, pink hands gripped the faucet and turned it, releasing refreshing cold water. Tying her strawberry-hair back with a hair-tie, she splashed water on her face. Emerald eyes looked up and stared at their twin doppelgangers in the mirror.

_Okay, deep breaths…I have to calm down,_ she thought as she scooped up the water in her hands and drenched her face in the cool liquid. _I can do anything! I can parachute out of an airplane at high speeds. I can infiltrate hostile bases and destroy them. I take down super freaks like Drakken and Shego. Then why can't I convince a room full of countries to agree to my resolution?_

Kim Possible, majoring in International Diplomacy and Political Science, had risen to Delegate of the United States of America in less than five years after graduating at Go City University. Working harder than she had ever before, she achieved the prestigious position in record time and was one of the few women who made it into the UN. Although she had the tenacity of a tiger, nothing could have prepared her for her first GA Conference. In the chamber she just left, more than 150 representatives of countries around the world debated fiercely with each other. Their topic: Ensuring World Peace by Neutralizing Super Villains.

Kim, leading the group which supported the idea that resources should be focused on eradicating Super Villains, had been fighting fiercely for support. Utilizing everything in her power, she fought a hard uphill battle, avoiding the constant insults of the opposing group. She had almost achieved support from most of the countries, when the Delegate of Russia pointed out a major flaw in her resolution and forced her back to square one. At this point, she couldn't take the pressure and broke down. She called the Delegate of China to take her place, ran as fast as she could to the bathroom, and relinquished her early dinner.

Light from the bathroom lamp caressed and warmed her face through the soft, yellow glow. Her eyes shone brightly, enhanced by the artificial sun only a few meters away. Untying her hair-tie, her locks gracefully dropped down to the small of her back. She fixed her eyes on the light gold-colored frame of the mirror with a wavy hair-like pattern, and noticed that it was studded with brown artificial jewels that sparkled like eyes and appeared to release an aura of joy and childlike wonder. A simple memory, one evoked by a small detail in the large bathroom, was enough to send the young woman reeling with so many emotions. She now knew why she couldn't convince the others.

"I've always had Ron beside me," she whispered to herself. Through out all of the missions that she had taken part in, Ron had always supported her. He was her emotional anchor, and her shield from danger. Everything that they did on those missions, Ron was afraid of. Yet that didn't stop him from skydiving with her or going head to head with henchmen. Ron cared so much for her, that he would risk his life just for her. Yet now, there was no more Ron. She didn't have his undying support anymore.

Life had been perfect for both of them, until Ron died during a mission in their third year at GCU. He had sacrificed himself to save her and the city of San Francisco when Dr. Dementor's Thermal Energy Inducer had detonated. By locking the device and himself in a heavily fortified 50's bomb shelter, he managed to contain the explosion within the blast proof shelter. The last thing he said before the vault's door closed and the complex collapsed was, "I love you KP. Don't you forget that." Kim held his hand until ten meters of high-density steel forced them apart.

Her legs giving away, she collapsed onto the hard tiles that covered the floor of the VIP bathroom. Without her support, without her Ron as backup, Kim collapsed in a heap on the ground, sobbing uncontrollably. She curled up in a fetal position, trying to fend off the demons that have constantly assaulted her since that moment in the bunker.

Hearing his female human in pain, a pink blob slowly unzipped Kim's purse. Naturally designed for underground duties, the hairless creature squinted to focus his eyesight. Raising his head from the dark recesses of the purse he scanned the room and found Kim on the ground. Dropping down from the sink, he landed on the tile next to her head. Taking charge of the situation, he quickly scampered up onto her shoulder and checked to see if she was okay, chattering incessantly to try to get her attention..

Kim turned her head in the direction of the squeaks and grunts and saw a worried Rufus standing on her shoulder. Rufus responded by taking out a handkerchief from her breast pocket and tried to wipe her tears away. He gently guided the fabric over her tear-drenched cheeks, drying every single drop.

"Kim…okay?" Rufus asked in a soft and reassuring voice. He knew what Kim was going through; he went through the emotions himself. Being an animal on the bottom of the food chain, nature was able to help him adapt quickly and get over it. The same couldn't be said about his current guardian, so he tried to calm her down whenever Kim's emotions got the better of her. Rufus tried again, this time following through with a nudge to her hand. "Hink…Kim must cheer up!"

Kim smiled at her little friend. No matter how dark the situation, or how down she felt, Rufus would always try pull her through. This was a trait that both Ron and the five-inch tall mammal shared. Being the only link left between Ron and her, she cared for him greatly. "Okay, Rufus. I'm okay. Don't worry, I'll get up." Picking herself up off the floor, she placed Rufus onto her shoulder and straightened the creases that had formed on her suit after her little pity fiesta. "Thanks Rufe, I needed that. You just earned yourself a grandé-sized, double cheese Naco/Chimirito combo." Gleaming she patted the pink naked mole rat on the head and gave him a slice of cheddar as a guarantee.

"Yay! Cheese!" Rufus exclaimed with joy. Not only did cheering up Kim give him peace of mind, it also meant that there was a reward in store for him. He showed his overflowing gratitude by hugging her neck as tightly as he could. After almost two minutes of showing physical gratitude, he performed a dive off of her shoulder and hand-sprung into her leather purse. Although he was way past the average lifetime of a normal naked mole rat, Kim just assumed that it was his iron stomach and Mystical Monkey Power that kept him youthful and active.

"Okay," Kim exclaimed with newfound courage and will, "Let's do this." Kim picked up her purse and reached for the door handle.

At the same moment, six men successfully landed on the roof of the GA building. Taking down the guards on the roof with five well-placed shots, Agent Alpha opened the door leading to the building below. "Repeat, Echo Lima, Team Alpha is in position. Proceed to Phase 1-B, over." At exactly 1715 Hours, all the lights of the Big Apple died in less than a second. Darkness enveloped that bustling city, plunging it into chaos.

_To Be Continued…_


	2. The Sitch Just Got Bigger

Author's Note: Thanks for all who read the last chapter! You guys rock! Now, onto the next chapter of RtS. Boo-yah! Please Rate and Review!

Disclaimer: I do not own Kim Possible (the series), and if the character was used in that show then it is Disney's.

* * *

Raising the Stakes

By EnigmaticPseudonym

Chapter 2: The Sitch Just Got Bigger

_UN General Assembly Building_

_Manhattan Island, New York_

_1715 Hours EST_

In the darkness, Kim groped around for the door knob and placed her ear against the door, listening for any noises that could clarify the situation. The opposite side of the door was cloaked with an eerie, ominous silence. All one could hear was the ticking of her watch and the patter of raindrops as they collided with the glass window, the sounds merging into a calm, rhythmic nocturne.

Kim instinctively reached for her watch and pressed two hidden buttons simultaneously. Although the watch was designed to look like a Rolex, it wasn't one. Its outer casing was a light-weight titanium alloy used to line nuclear reactors, it held 5 terabytes of memory, and had enough processing power to control two simultaneous low-orbit rocket launches. The face of the watch divided itself into four quarters and retracted to the side. The clock hands separated themselves and revealed a hidden lens. Brilliant green light shot out of the lens and focused itself into a rotating globe with 'TP' at the center, the logo of Team Possible.

"Please state the password," chimed a metallic female voice.

"Boo-yah," Kim replied. After checking the voice pattern and finding it correct, the rotating globe morphed into a holographic image of a female AI.

"Welcome, Kim Possible. May I be of any assistance?"

"Connect me to Wade, Sandra. Please and thank you! And drop the formalities and just call me Kim, 'kay?"

"Sure Kim. Now contacting the master server and… Oh. I'm sorry, but all communications are down. There is no way of contacting Wade at this time," Sandra said.

"Hmm…that's ferociously weird. Thanks for trying any way."

"No problem. It's my job."

The hologram quickly shifted to the logo once more, and disappeared. The watch returned to its original shape and the advanced features of the watch were shut down. She reached into her purse and softly patted Rufus on the head. He yawned and snuggled deeper into the Kleenex box he was lying in. Kim reached for the knob again and turned it, slowly pushing the door open.

Shadows danced on the walls and thunder clapped as Kim walked down the hallway. Step by step, she guided herself through the inky darkness. Kim struggled to keep her fears under control, as the dark corridor seemed to stretch on forever. Once in a while, she would hear the distant cry of a siren. Otherwise, silence completely enveloped her during the lapses between the thunder and noises from man's creations. Reaching a window she stopped and looked out, welcoming the quick respite from walking down the corridor. What she saw was not a welcome sight.

Armed soldiers encircled the building, bearing assault rifles. They were well hidden, allowing only an expert to identify them against the dark background. Kim knew that the UN, a peaceful organization, did not hire mercenaries. She crouched and activated the watch again. Within seconds Sandra was back. This time the password was not needed, as the watch only required verbal recognition if it had been taken off.

"Hey Kim, what's up?" the friendly female AI questioned.

"Did you manage to contact Wade? Because Sandra, we may have a serious sitch on our hands."

"Someone or something is jamming wireless communications in the Big Apple. It may just be sunspots or an ion storm, but I can't connect to the server in Middleton. Why what's the matter?"

"Sandra, there are armed troops outside one of the most peaceful organizations in the world. That's awk-weird to the highest level. Can you at least contact one of the Police stations?"

"I'll try, but I'm not guaranteeing anything," Sandra declared.

"Thanks Sandra, call me if something comes up," Kim replied. Sandra gave Kim an 'O.K.' sign and disappeared.

Kim reached into her purse and tapped Rufus on the shoulder. Rufus responded with a grunt and buried himself deeper into his make-shift bed. She tapped him again, this time with more force. Rufus turned his head to look at Kim and gave her a confused look.

"Rufus," Kim whispered, "bad guys on the field. Mission Mode."

The pint-sized hero immediately perked up and hopped down from the purse. The words 'Mission Mode' were enough to get his adrenaline pumping. _Time for action!_

"Rufus, I need you to scout about two meters ahead for anything mysterious."

"Yup! Okay!" the small mammal said as he raced off into the shadows, with Kim following suit. The duo crept down the rest of the hallway, eyes and ears open for any sound, any unusual movement. As they turned a corner, voices appeared. Kim quickly motioned for Rufus to get in her arms. When he did, she performed a half-split jump and suspended herself at the top of the hallway. Rufus raised three claws, signifying three mercenaries.

"Charlie One said to look for any guards we may have missed," one of the armor clad soldiers said. The three mercs were walking in a triangle formation.

"I know! But can't we go find a food court somewhere? I'm frickin' hungry!" the other replied.

"Can it you two!" the officer behind them spat out. "Do you want to be killed?"

"No," the one on the right said, "but…"

It was at that moment when Kim dropped down and slammed her weight down on the officer. Hearing a thud, one of the two subordinates turned around, only to receive a bicycle kick to the jaw, knocking him out cold. The third turned quickly and threw a fist at the shadowy female figure. Kim instantly ducked, evading the attack, and grabbed the merc's arm. She twisted it behind his back and slammed him against the wall.

"Talk or I drive my knee into your back," Kim threatened as she twisted his arm further.

"Okay," the winded soldier said, "I'll talk!"

A smile formed on Kim's lips. _This one's easy._

"Tell me what you're doing here! Please and thank you." she said as she slammed him against the wall again.

"Oomph! Our job is to secure the General Assembly! The boss wants them for his 'Conquer the World' plot," the man spat out.

"Okay. How many men do you have out here?"

"Thirty… Aah! I mean thirty-six!"

"How many in the General Assembly?"

"Seven! Alpha Team's in there! Agent Alpha to Alpha-Six!"

"Who do you work for? Answer me!"

"Aah! Gemini! WWEE! We're out of uniform because Gemini wanted better equipment!"

"Okay. That's all I need. Pleasure doing business with you. Good night, sir."

"Please! Don't kill me!" the soldier wailed.

Kim struck the man in the back of the head, and guided his unconscious body to the floor. She aimed her watch at the man's helmet and pressed a button. Sandra appeared and immediately started downloading the information from the communication devices.

"Kim, these devices only give information about the people in a single squad. Namely these guys on the ground," Sandra said as she pointed at the men Kim had recently knocked out. "I can't give you anything else, I'm sorry."

"It's okay. Thanks anyway, Sandra," Kim whispered. Once more the watch glided back into its resting position.

"Rufus, it's time to check out the GA chamber."

The naked mole rat nodded and slid back onto the ground. Their walk into the dark abyss continued.

* * *

"Tell me again why we are going through the vent in my stiff suit?" Kim asked Rufus. 

"Hmm… Door locked, only way in. No mission clothes!" Rufus replied to Kim.

Kim scowled. Once again, her little friend was right. She really had to start bringing her mission clothes with her. Rufus had been recommending that she bring mission clothes wherever she went, but she had said, "No, we'll just have to return to the apartment whenever we do need to change." _Never again! From now on I'm listening to Rufus._ Without warning, her watch sprang open, showing a worried Sandra.

"Kim, I'm reading multiple signals. These guys have the whole room covered! I'll patch you through to their cameras." Sandra morphed into a screen showing the first camera view. _Center Door._ After two seconds she switched to the next view.

_Entrance to the left of the stage, to the right, rear left, rear right, interpreter room on the second floor, and… Oh god._ The last camera view forced Kim to completely rethink her usual 'up and personal' approach: this one, owned by an Agent Alpha, had a gun trained on the Secretary General and the Chairman. Rufus saw the video and sighed.

"Ooh, this bad," the pint sized hero said.

"Phew, you got that right," Sandra said.

"Okay, major setback," Kim sighed. "Sandra, show me a bird's eye view of the chamber and super impose their fields of vision." In an instant, a 3D map of the chamber was hovering in front of Kim's nose. Yellow angles formed, showing the edges of the room as completely defended. A sniper stood in one of the interpreter rooms, seeing everything.

"The way I see it, we have to take out the guard in the interpreter room and cause a distraction in there." Kim pointed at the dot a level above the rest. "Rufus that'll be your job. Sandra, you can run interference with all of their visors, so that they won't be able to see each other's stats. That way, they won't be able to know if one of their own is out cold." Rufus saluted and followed the maze of vents to the interpreter room.

Rufus peered into the dimly lit room through the horizontal slits in the air vent and saw the sniper looking out of the window, scanning the chamber below him. His helmet was on the table below the vent. Rufus slipped through the lowest strip and landed gracefully on the table. He opened the circuit board near the rear of the helmet and rewired the system to deliver a painful shock to the user. To add the finishing touch to his nefarious plan, he whistled. The guard jumped at the unexpected sound and reached for his helmet. He secured it on his head and pressed the activation button. He then collapsed after the shock that was delivered to his body ceased. _Phase Two…_Rufus faced the sniper rifle at the window and pulled the trigger, shattering the glass, and creating complete pandemonium in the lower chamber.

"What the hell was that!" Alpha Six shrieked as he turned away from a vent he was watching. Unnoticed, Kim cut the vent with her laser lipstick. She slipped down and crept over to Alpha Six, disabling him with the shock ability in her watch.

"Agent Alpha, we've got radio interference! Can't access the squad's life status," Alpha Four said. A small yelp escaped his lips as he crumpled to the ground like a stack of potatoes. Four other commandos dropped sequentially as electricity was delivered to their unsuspecting bodies.

"Okay guys," Agent Alpha stated, "I need two volunteers to go up to the room. Alpha Three should be in there." Silence.

"Guys? Hello?" Alpha One raised his weapon to his shoulder. He switched on the flashlight attached to his weapon and swept the rows of chairs, looking for any sign of his team. His instincts told him, _"This is a textbook ambush! Brace yourself!"_

"Over here, Alpha," Kim called out while she executed a scissors kick. His search was cut short as two legs collided with his stomach forcing him to drop his weapon. He barely had time to recover when he was forced to go into defensive mode. Punches and kicks rained down on the retreating commando. He caught a quick glimpse of his aggressor. _Kim Possible? That's why the delegate of the USA was missing!_

Kim fought with ferocity. Although she was a skilled fighter knowing 16 kinds of kung fu, the guy she was fighting was good. He was blocking most her punches and only a few had connected with his torso. _Where did this Agent Alpha come from?_ He managed to sneak in a punch to her midsection after a parry and rolled backwards onto his feet.

"So Ms. Possible, we meet again. I'm delighted to know that you're still alive!" Agent Alpha sneered. He started circling Kim to try to get an advantage.

"Better than what you'll be when I'm through with you," Kim retorted. "Who are you!"

Alpha just laughed sinisterly. "You know who I am. We've met before."

"I defeat a lot of 'take-over-the-world types.' You can't expect me to remember them all," she snapped back.

He saw the icon of Alpha Six flash on his HUD. _Good, now I need a distraction._ He smiled wickedly. "Where's that loser Stoppable?"

Kim froze in shock. He had just said an insult she could not abide by: she called Ron a loser. She growled and pounced on Agent Alpha, completely ignoring the figure that had been shadowing the agent.

"Now!" Alpha roared. He ducked down just as the hidden Alpha Six fired two beams of LTL energy at Kim Possible. Kim received the shots head on, impacting her right collar bone and her stomach, and causing her to fall in mid-flight. As darkness slowly engulfed the heroine, she pressed the emergency button on her watch. _Wade or Global Justice should be able to pick that up._

Agent Alpha approached her with an evil smile. He brought his face up to hers and said, "I worked for Dementor in 2010. I triggered Dementor's T.E.I. I… KILLED… Ron Stoppable." Agent Alpha's masked face faded to black.

* * *

Kim woke up slowly. Her eyes burned in the bright light. She felt groggy, but couldn't attain full consciousness because of the pain inflicted on her. She tried moving her arms and legs, but the commandos had tied her extremities to the chair. Her instincts took over as she took stock of her situation. _I'm in one of the interpreter rooms, and the lights are back on. My gadgets are missing, including my watch. Rufus is no where to be found._

The door opened and revealed two regular soldiers, not the commandos that had captured her. The men stepped inside the room and closed the door. They slowly walked up to her and pointed their assault rifle's barrels at her head.

"Hello Ms. Possible. We're the ones whose heads you drove into the tractor on your last mission," he disclosed.

"And we're going to pay you back for the pain you caused us, unless you agree to cooperate," the other one added with a smirk. Both cracked their knuckles as they took one more step towards Kim. She just glared at them, calculating the probability that she could somehow escape from her current situation unscathed.

Suddenly, their communication devices activated as sounds of gunfire and an explosion echoed around the room. The men ignored the struggling Kim and ran towards the window overlooking the chamber. They saw that Team Alpha had fortified the perimeter around the hostages, and had blown a hole through the wall behind the podium for a quick exit.

"This is Agent Alpha," the mechanical device blurted out. "Gemini has ordered a retreat to the original HQ. GJ and NYPD SWAT have the front of the perimeter sealed off and GJ operatives have opened fire on us. Team Alpha will secure the hostages while the rest of the force provides support fire from the submarine. Retreat, I say again, retreat to the rear end of the compound. Cloaked jump jets are waiting for you. This is Alpha signing off, see you guys back on the island."

The men turned around and made a brake for the door when it slammed open. The two shouldered their M4's to prepare for the attack, but were too slow as the form at the door fired two shots and incapacitated both. Kim's unknown savior ran to the window and opened fire on Team Alpha below.

At the same time, breaching charges detonated in the chamber below. A firefight erupted as GJ and SWAT teams forced their way into the large room. The room designed for international peace was now a violent battleground between retreating W.W.E.E. commandos and the upholders of justice. Team Alpha retreated, taking only the Secretary General, the four of the five permanent members of the UN (UK, Russia, France, and China), and the Nobel Peace Prize winner/guest speaker.

Soon the fight was over, and the man untied Kim and lifted her up in his arms. He whispered something like, "You're gonna be okay Kim." Although she somehow recognized his voice, she couldn't remember who it was. Kim could only see his eyes before she drifted back into nothingness. His eyes were chocolate brown, with a tuft of blonde hair sticking out of the wool mask.

TO BE CONTINUED…


	3. Take it to Them!

Author's Note: Here you go! Chapter 3 of RtS. Enjoy! Rate and Review! FYI: Military Code is used here. (A is Alpha, B is Bravo, C is Charlie, and so on and so forth.)

Disclaimer: Disney owns Kim Possible, I own the storyline. Ubisoft owns Cross-Com V2.0 and "Fifth Freedom" (used in GRAW and Splinter Cell, respectively).

** I edited the talk between Pershing and RS. **

* * *

Raising the Stakes

By EnigmaticPseudonym

Chapter 3: Take it to Them!

_Outside the United Nations Headquarters_

_Manhattan, New York_

_2017 Hours EST_

"Come in Romeo Sierra. Repeat Romeo Sierra, come in."

The operative stood over Kim Possible as she slept. He scanned her up and down, checking her for hidden wounds that were missed by the medics. Gently pressing the back of his hand to Kim's forehead, her masked rescuer made sure that she was alright. Although he had never met her, he felt it his duty to protect her.

"Romeo Sierra, activate your video uplink. I know you're there."

Checking her one last time, he walked over to the table and donned his field helmet. His gloved hand flipped down the visor and activated the standard issue Cross-Com V2.0. His superior appeared, completely engulfing the screen.

"Operative Romeo Sierra reporting, sir."

"Son, what happened in there?" his Commanding Officer questioned. The man on screen was in his late forties. Known for his successes in the Middle-East, he was now in charge of Special Operations teams that would never exist; they were faceless shadows that went in, did their job, and disappeared.

"We came into contact with the hostage takers, Major Pershing. A firefight soon followed. We managed to secure most of the delegates, but the guest speaker, the Secretary-General, and four other delegates were taken with them, sir."

"That's bad. I've alerted the President and the Joint Chiefs. I'm afraid we now have an international crisis. The Russian, British, French, and Chinese heads of state are requesting a video conference. The President has requested for me to keep his options open, and the President is requesting for my most capable soldier. That's you. Suit up and head on over to the communications truck."

"With all due respect, but you're going to need me," a female voice interjected. Surprised, the soldier turned his head towards the sound. Kim had apparently woken up and had heard his conversation with his CO. She had changed into a spare black jumpsuit, and was finishing off putting on her gloves. "I have the most experience with Gemini, and I've beaten him before."

"Fine," Major Pershing sighed, "she's your responsibility, Sierra. She has beaten him before, and she'll probably do it again. Oh, and be careful Ms. Possible. This guy might be close to being superman, but you're both far from bullet-proof."

"Yes sir! On my way to the communications van. May I request that I keep my mask on during the meeting, with my identity having to be protected and all."

"Go ahead. I'll inform the President and the officials now."

"Operative Romeo Sierra, over and out." He walked over to the table and picked up his M9 Beretta and his MP5 submachine gun. He holstered his pistol and slung the MP5 over his shoulder. He beckoned for Kim to follow him and walked outside of the tent.

NYPD hustled back and forth, shuttling the wounded onto ambulances. The road was riddled with bullet holes and ashes were left over from thrown grenades. A few firefighters were busy putting out fires that had engulfed two squad cars. Where statues of peace once stood, rubble and spatters of blood now remained. Discarded shells littered the former battlefield, still hot from the recent firefight. It was ironic that a war had erupted on the premises of the organization who was so opposed to it. Broken street lamps flickered on and off, giving the city-that-never-sleeps an eerie feeling.

"Hey! Stop for a second, I need to talk to you!" Kim called out. She ran after the man who had saved her. He stopped and turned around.

"Yes Miss Possible?" he asked in a polite voice.

"Thanks for saving me back there. Just call me Kim," Kim replied. He nodded and started to walk off when she stopped him. "Wait. Who are you? I know Romeo Sierra is your code name."

He smiled at her and laughed. "It's not my liberty to say, Kim. I don't want to give you the 'If I tell you, I'm going to have to kill you' speech. I don't exist. We never met. So let's just go to the communications van now." He smiled again and walked off.

She frowned at him. _I hate these secretive military types._ Kim followed 'Romeo Sierra' to the van without uttering another word, knowing he would just decline to give her any answers. Once they reached the van, he held the door open for her and she stepped in. _At least he has manners._ The van had a huge monitor placed against the wall and a microphone was suspended from the ceiling. She took a seat and 'Romeo' activated the video uplink to the White House. He stood beside Kim at attention and waited patiently for the satellite connection to activate. Wade appeared on the screen and he was wearing a suit.

"Kim! Good to know you're still alive. Rufus managed to get your watch to the roof of the building. That's why the UN Headquarters is crawling with police and Global Justice agents." The African-American teen smiled at her.

"Sorry I couldn't give you backup earlier, the Secretary of Defense wanted me to supervise the installation of their new defense network. Designed by me of course," Wade declared with wagging eyebrows. Kim laughed heartily, and the man standing beside her smiled. "So where's Rufus?" Wade asked.

"Hi! Over here!" Rufus exclaimed as he hopped down from a shelf he was sleeping on. He was happy that she was alive and perked up as he recognized a scent. He glanced at the soldier next to Kim and took another whiff. _That human…I recognize his scent. He smells like…_ He shrugged and entered Kim's warm embrace. After being crushed in her arms, he climbed into her leg pocket and curled up for a nap.

"Good to see you Wade," Kim said after patting the lump in her pocket. "Have you met Codename Romeo Sierra over here?"

"Romeo Sierra…" Wade's eyes went wide. C_ould it be?_ He stared into the brown eyes of the soldier. The eyes of the soldier emanated a sense of nothingness. They were eyes that revealed no emotion, just pure concentration; they were the eyes of an assassin. Wade shook in fear. _That can't be him._

"Pleasure to meet you," Romeo said.

"Same here," Wade answered. _It isn't him. I don't sense any of the childlike wonder._

"Now that everyone's reacquainted, let's get down to business." Wade divided the screen into multiple squares allowing Major Pershing and himself to join the conference. The rest of the screen showed the President in Washington D.C. and the four heads of state that originally requested the meeting. The President had a stern look on his face and went directly to the point.

"Good evening, gentlemen and Ms. Possible," the President began. "What we have here is an international incident. Gemini, of the World Wide Evil Empire, has assaulted the UN Headquarters and abducted six of the most important people in the world. We need a plan of action, and we need it now!"

"Uh… Mr. President?" Major Pershing interjected. "I have just received information regarding their headquarters. They are situated on an island in the Mediterranean."

The Chinese representative spoke up, "That means they are probably well defended. We are talking about heavy defenses, almost like Normandy's in World War II."

"Are you telling me that they are hiding in an island fortress with advanced weaponry aimed at the world?" the British prime minister spat out.

"I believe so," the French President answered. "But perhaps the Russians have a plan?"

"Special Forces can be sent in to neutralize the defenses and we can land troops," the Russian president said sternly. "We can strike early and get rid of this problem early."

"Well, I believe that we should send in one team to neutralize the defenses. Wade can provide them a window into the perimeter and then they're going to have to go solo. Then, we send in Russian and American Special Forces to secure the island," Pershing said.

"Mr. President," Kim added, "Team Possible is always ready for action. We can be that strike team. All we need is for Wade to send over some equipment, and we'll be ready to go."

The US President cleared his throat, "Very well. We just need to confirm Gemini's position on this matter and…" He was cut short by a smirking Gemini with his arms crossed who had taken over the whole screen. Agent Alpha stood beside him, glaring at Kim Possible.

"Hello everyone," Gemini sang and grinned devilishly. "I believe that I have six important people in my grasp. All I require is that you hand over command of your pitiful nations to me, and I will replace your pathetic governments with my world government." The camera followed the two villains as they walked over to a giant computer. The screen displayed a map of the world, with crosshairs targeted on the capitals of all the developed nations in the world. "You have 12 hours to get your nations ready for complete domination. Or I bomb your capitals. The choice is yours." Gemini walked off screen, but Alpha remained.

"I'm waiting for anything you throw at us, so bring it," he fired a shot into the camera and the video feed was cut. The former screen returned, showing the surprised faces of the conference members. China was first to speak up.

"The four of us have decided," the Beijing official said gravely. "We 'okay' and support any action taken against the Mediterranean island."

The President shifted his gaze to Major Pershing. "Major, proceed with your plan. I want one of our best soldiers with Team Possible on this one."

"Way ahead of you, sir," Pershing replied. "I have Operative Romeo Sierra on standby with Team Possible. They'll be en route in one hour."

"Good luck out there, Team Possible." The President shifted his gaze to the SpecOp soldier standing next to Kim. "My executive decision is to allow you your Fifth Freedom. Use it wisely, son."

Romeo Sierra tensed up. Very rarely was he allowed to execute missions with his Fifth Freedom granted. This was serious. He saluted the President, "Fifth Freedom allowance understood, sir."

"Good. We'll leave you to your business. Over and out." The screen turned off and left the occupants of the van in silence.

* * *

The silent operative changed into his combat gear: black military fatigues, a light Kevlar vest, black gloves, and a helmet that had a flip-down visor for his Cross-Com to display tactical information. He placed two grenades in a pouch suspended from his belt, two submachine gun magazines and one pistol clip in specifically designed pockets on his chest, and a block of remote-detonated C4 on his left hip. 

Next, he checked his weaponry. His already loaded pistol hung limply at his waist in its holster, so he didn't bother with it. Removing his spent clip from his MP5, he placed a new one in and secured it. Pulling the bolt back, he felt the bullet slide into place. He released the bolt; it slammed back into place and made an audible click. After making sure it was on safety, he brought the gun up to his shoulder and aimed at the cloth of the tent.

_Aim and tap, aim and tap…One to the chest and one to the head. That's all there is to it,_ the voice of his drill instructor said in his head. _But you have to do it fast. It should only take less than a second to disable your enemy._ Imaginary targets appeared on the green cloth. He visualized himself firing at each target. _Aim and tap, aim and tap, aim and… Hostile to your right! Move!_ He crouched and spun 90 degrees to his right, his weapon aimed at a certain red-head.

"Whoa, easy there Romeo. It's only me," Kim said holding her hands up. She was wearing her white super-suit, the blue streaks glowing in the dimly lit tent. She placed her hands on her hips and shook her head. "This is why I hate guns."

"Oh… Heh… Uh, sorry about that," the warrior sheepishly said. He threw the strap of the MP5 over his head and dropped the weapon. "I was just practicing. Ms. Possible, please don't call me Romeo, I don't like that particular codename. Just call me RS." He walked out of the tent.

_RS? Romeo Sierra. Why does that sound familiar?_ She followed him out to a black Global Justice hovercraft, courtesy of Wade. He climbed on board first and held his hand out. She grabbed it and pulled herself up. The ramp closed and the hovercraft's engines increased their thrust. The craft held three fire teams of four SpecOps soldiers from the US Army and the Russians.

"So tell me," Kim yelled, "what does Fifth Freedom mean?"

RS yelled back, "The freedom to do whatever is necessary to protect and ensure the survival of the Four Freedoms: freedom of speech, of worship, freedom from want, and freedom from fear. The President has just given me authority to destroy the island if it poses a threat to the US, or the world." He looked into her eyes and began again. "Even if we, or the delegates, are still on it. It's a freedom that's rarely given, and is hell on your nerves once it is." He laughed uneasily.

"Promise me this," Kim said, "when there is no other way to finish the mission, go ahead and blow the island up. Otherwise, don't do it. I'm not too eager to join my soul mate up in the heaven just yet."

"Sure, I promise," he replied. _Whoever her soul mate is, he's one lucky SOB._

The hovercraft flew off into the night sky.

* * *

Author's Note: Next chapter is full of action (fight scenes, etc., etc.). Don't miss it! Boo-yah! See you all later! 


	4. When You Need Him the Most

Author's Note: Here's Chapter 4. One more chapter to go, so stay tuned! Warning: 3000+ words. I usually don't write chapters that are this long, but bear with me.

Disclaimer: Disney owns Kim Possible, I own the plot.

* * *

Raising the Stakes

By EnigmaticPseudonym

Chapter 4- When You Need Him the Most

_Global Justice Hovercraft- __**G**__olf __**J**__uliet __**H**__otel_

_Somewhere over the Mediterranean Sea_

_0400 Hours GMT +2_

The sleek, black hovercraft flew over the darkened waters of the Mediterranean. It flew at a height of two meters, almost skimming the surface of the undulating liquid below. Radar was their main enemy now. If they were spotted the mission would be called off, so they had to fly low. It took nerves of steel, and a good pilot, to fly that low. Fortunately, they had a pilot who had nerves cast out of titanium.

"This is Golf Juliet Hotel en route to the DZ," Will Du said. He was wearing a Cross-Com-enabled helmet, and the blinking objective symbol told him that they were two kilometers out and closing. "We are two kilometers out from the assigned drop point. Requesting final confirmation from Zeero Niner X-ray Quebec."

Deep below sea level, the US Navy submarine USS Kodiak carried Major Pershing and Wade as they traversed unnoticed in the dark waters. Wade was busy hacking into Gemini's systems so he could override the security measures on the beach. The operation depended on his success. The Major looked at him questioningly. He replied by sticking up five fingers.

Major Pershing pressed the send button on the panel in front of him and said, "This is Zeero Niner X-ray Quebec. Tech-Master requires five minutes to finish the job."

"Roger that, X-ray. Mailman is slowing down." Will eased off on the throttle, bringing the speed down to 65 kilometers per hour. "Waiting for orders from the Post Office, X-ray." In the distance, Will could see the island sticking out of the sea.

Kim got up from the bench she was sitting on, and maneuvered her way through a jungle of equipment packs and extended legs. Upon reaching the cockpit, she opened the door and stood behind Will's chair. She had to crouch to keep her head at his level.

"Will," she began, "thanks for the flight."

Will Du turned his head to face Kim. "No problem, I just thought I should pay you back for all the 'Top-Agent' crap I threw at you," Will said with a smile.

"No big. I knew you had good inside of you."

"This is X-ray Quebec. Mission importance has escalated. President has placed the whole nation on Def-Con 1," Pershing stated. "In about fifteen seconds, Tech-Master will be able to drop their security measures for five minutes. Prepare letter for drop off at the mailbox." Kim rushed to the troop compartment and grabbed a self-inflating rubber raft. She pressed pulled a cord and it inflated in less than a minute. She put her purple and black senior high school mission clothes on to conceal the glowing white suit.

"Time to move _Romeo._ Let's drop," Kim said as she hopped into the raft. Romeo nodded and hopped in behind her, switching the lever on his MP5 from 'Safe' to 'Burst.' He readied himself for the drop.

Kim noticed that one of the other American soldiers stood up and walked over to Romeo. He bent over and whispered something into the Romeo's ear. She heard him reply with "Of course! Now let me do my job." She told herself that it was just soldier-to-soldier banter.

"Kilo Papa," Wade said through the earpiece she was wearing, "You have five minutes to reach the shore and enter the compound. Now go!" The soldier standing who had been talking to Romeo gave them a thumbs-up and shoved the raft past the lowered ramp and onto the Mediterranean. The hovercraft turned around and started to head back. The soldier stood at the entrance and watched as the raft disappeared into the darkness.

"Team Possible has been deployed."

"Let's hope to God that they get this done," Pershing said worriedly. "Strike Teams, prepare for deployment."

* * *

The generators jump-started with a low hum. The security defenses reactivated, and a raft was wedged in between two rocks outside the perimeter of Gemini's new lair. There was no sign of any interlopers in the grassy border between the super structure in the center of the island and the concrete wall that prevented access to the island. Rather, the intruders were already inside making their way towards the nuclear weapons launch bay. 

Kim and Romeo crept slowly through the hallways, timing their advances with the blind spot of panning cameras. With their backs to the walls, they followed the twisting hallways to Gemini's WMD's. Once they reached the room, their jaws fell to the floor as they scanned rows of nuclear ballistic missiles.

"So take it that you like it," Gemini said as he appeared from behind a missile. "My own private missile silo."

Gemini snapped his fingers and guards dressed in identical camouflaged uniforms encircled Team Possible. Each held a commando blaster, and stood ready to pounce. Alpha stepped forth from the circle and stood straight. Gemini laughed demonically.

"You see Kim Possible, there is no chance of beating me," he yelled. "These aren't idiotic Henchmen from Hench Co., all of these men are mercenaries that are trained to kill. But for you, I might make an exception. Guards, neutralize Kim Possible!" Gemini disappeared once again into the shadows he came from.

"Kim, GO NOW!" Romeo yelled as he dropped a flash bang he had primed. Kim jumped over the crowd, using Alpha's head as a springboard. Just as she cleared the circle, the flash bang hit the floor with a clang and detonated. The threatening circle of mercenaries screamed in pain as they were temporarily blinded. Romeo pulled out his MP5 and shot to disable. He fired a round at the right shoulder blade of a mercenary's chest and dove in that direction. Quickly turning his body in midair, he fired a shot at Alpha which grazed the W.W.E.E. agent's arm. He dove behind a nearby metal crate, grabbing a commando blaster on the way. He set the weapon to LTL, and let loose a barrage of fire at his assailants.

After the explosion, Kim had already landed and taken out two mercenaries with a spin kick to the side of their heads. She turned to the right and drove her fist into another man's stomach. She finished him off with a back-flip kick to his chin and performed a handstand. She followed through with her legs spinning like a helicopter's rotor blades, knocking out anyone who stood too close. Blaster fire took out two opponents that tried to pick up their weapons. Kim ended her attack by performing a handspring to close the distance between Alpha and her. She held her open hands in front of her and bent her knees, ready to spring into action.

"RS, go for the silo's computer!" Kim said. Romeo saluted and ran down the aisle.

"You are going down HARD for blowing up that bunker!" she screamed as anger pulsated through her veins.

Agent Alpha responded by circling Kim. He said to her with spite, "You mean for killing that loser, Stoppable?"

"HE IS NOT A LOSER!" Kim screamed. She closed the gap between Alpha and her with a slide kick. Alpha skillfully dodged by jumping to the left and rolling into a defensive crouch. Kim scowled and was back up on her feet in a heart beat. As she assumed a defensive/offensive Shaolin Tiger stance, she fired a glare at Alpha. She nodded her head in a challenging manner. She uttered a single, powerful phrase in a low voice, "Bring it."

It took all of Agent Alpha's strength just to avoid stepping back. It wasn't just Kim's no-holds-bar mannerism; it was almost as if he was staring at the blazing eyes of the devil. Kim's large eyes seemed to glow with the intensity and power of a hydrogen bomb. Alpha felt like fear and pain had materialized itself in the form of this emerald-eyed young woman, who packed 16 kinds of kung fu. _I still have a chance,_ he thought. _She's only human. Humans make mistakes._

Alpha's training kicked in as he leaped towards Kim Possible. When she was within striking distance, he let loose an onslaught of punches and kicks. He tried to exploit every possible hole in her defensive wall, but ended up receiving more pain from Kim than he the amount he was dishing out. Alpha was forced to back flip away from her just to stay conscious.

The W.W.E.E. agent panted heavily. _I…have to…find… an advantage._ Alpha faced his opponent one more time. _She is not going to beat me._ He gritted his teeth in anger. _Wait…That's it! Anger!_ He smiled.

Alpha quipped, "Since we're talking about Stoppable, I might as well say that the fool deserved what happened to him." Kim yelled and ran up to him, this time initiating the fight. Agent Alpha managed to get twice as many punches to connect with her abdomen before he had to back out. _Good, _he thought, _it's working. Just keep pissing her off._ His mind began to think of things that he remembered about Stoppable from his past.

"That imbecile couldn't do anything! He's always dropping his pants. There you go, another trait for Ron: self-embarrassing," Alpha continued. Kim went in for another round of attacks, but her overwhelming fury dulled her senses. Alpha was able to dodge most of her attacks and his boot connected with her jaw, sending her on a collision course with the wall. She hit the concrete wall with a thud. Kim struggled to her feet; her face wore a look of extreme determination. She wobbled a bit and recovered enough to stand.

"I wonder what you even saw in the guy," he said. Agent Alpha shrugged. "I guess a loser's fit for a loser."

_Time to deliver the 'coup de grace.'_ Alpha grabbed an aluminum pole that was a few centimeters taller than him. He spun it in a circle above his head, brought it down to a horizontal position at waist level, and bent his knees. He was ready to deliver the final blow.

Both warriors stood absolutely still. While Alpha was clearing his head, focusing his energy on the upcoming fight, Kim's thoughts were in turmoil. Time seemed to stop for the wounded heroine. She felt lost, alone. From her point of view, she was fighting a losing battle. She had been wounded greatly, and she had lost her will to fight. Kim closed her eyes and focused her thoughts.

"_Hey KP,"_ a voice said. She looked up and saw that she was in a white, endless room. There was fog everywhere, obscuring her view of the surroundings. She saw a blur of red slowly approaching her from the front. Its features focused itself into a young man of average height, blond hair, freckles on his cheeks in triangular formations, and chocolate brown eyes. He was wearing his usual choice of clothing: a black turtle neck, a red hockey jersey, and cargo pants from Smarty Mart. Ron Stoppable placed a caring hand on her cheek.

Kim hugged Ron tightly. Ghostly apparition or not, she wasn't going to lose him again. Tears began to stream down her face.

"_Shh, KP. Can't have my bon-diggity best friend-slash-girlfriend crying, now can we?"_ Ron said reassuringly.

"_I need you!"_ she sobbed. _"I'm useless without you."_

"_Come on, THE Kim Possible? Useless? Please, you're anything but."_

Kim gazed into his calm eyes. She missed those eyes so much. They could calm her down when she was angry, and return joy to her life during times of sadness.

"_Kim, keep this in mind," _Ron continued._ "Just like I said on Graduation Day. Whatever happens, I'm there for you. The Ron-man's always got your back. Boo-yah!"_

Kim smiled and hugged him again. Then the white light faded and she found herself facing a charging Agent Alpha. _Ron, you rock._

Romeo aimed down the sight of the blaster he had acquired. He was lying prone on his stomach and was waiting for the perfect moment to strike. Since the duo was always moving, he had to continuously shift between elevated sniping locations on the catwalks that he had identified. _Dang, she's a good fighter! I know she saves the world, but wow!_ he thought as his eyes watched the battle continue. Suddenly, the tide turned as Alpha scored a hit to the back of her head and tripped Kim. He quickly brought the stick down on her stomach, slamming an unconscious Kim Possible into the concrete floor. Alpha picked up a discarded blaster from the floor.

_Crap, I gotta move, _Romeo thought. He stood up and tried to run to the nearest ladder.

Alpha saw the movement in his peripheral vision and fired a shot in that direction. He caught Romeo square in the back. The US operative fell with a sickening thud on the metal floor of the catwalk.

"I deserve a frickin' raise after this," Alpha said as he slung the weapon over his shoulder and tied Kim's hands securely.

* * *

Kim's face darkened as she stared down Gemini and Agent Alpha. _Oh great, this is ferociously worse than being beaten by a man in a dress._

Romeo and Kim were being held in a green house at the center of the compound. Team Possible was strapped to what looked like vertical stretchers. They were surrounded by varying species of rainforest plants, all feeding from the light and heat that entered the room from the glass ceiling. The greenhouse not only contained small potted plants. It also provided a home for numerous species of trees and insects. Gemini had recreated a rainforest habitat in his fortress.

There were four entrances to the room, all guarded by at least four people. The dense foliage made it hard to see the patrolling guards, but she knew they were there. _It would take SUPERMAN to save us now,_ Kim thought. She turned her head to the left and faced Romeo. He gave her a reassuring nod and faced Gemini again.

"So Team Possible," Gemini said. "You thought you could defeat me? Well, once again brains beat brawn." He walked over to a holographic projection unit behind him. It showed the world with red pins marking Washington D.C., Moscow, Beijing, London, Paris, and Middleton.

"Middleton?" Romeo inquired, with a hint of worry in his voice. "Middleton isn't an important location."

"Wrong, 'superman.' The headquarters of Global Justice IS Middleton," Gemini said with a smirk. "I might as well take out my arch foe while I'm at it."

"Betty Director is your sister!" Kim retorted. "The tweebs maybe annoying, but you don't harm family!"

Gemini walked up to Kim and placed his hand on her shoulder, zapping her with electricity. Electricity below the lethal limit coursed through her body, forcing Kim squeal in pain. He released a semi-conscious Kim and walked up to Romeo.

"How about you Sierra?" he asked mockingly. "Anything else you want to say?"

"You know you won't get away with this!" Romeo yelled. "You've got the whole world hunting you down! Heck, your sister's probably going to beat you again!"

"Don't EVER talk to me about my sister again!" screamed Gemini as he slammed his metal fist into the young man's chest. The villain reached for Romeo's mask, and tightened his grip. He pulled it off with a smooth motion just as Kim recovered from the blow she had received.

Kim turned to her left and gasped as she recognized the face underneath the mask. She hadn't seen that face since college, and she was sure she would never see it again. His blond hair was wet with sweat. Gemini continuously punched his male prisoner in the abdomen, forcing a few grunts to leave the mouth of the blond. Fake irises were knocked out of their places and fell to the ground, revealing blue eyes. The operative coughed out blood. Gemini walked to a waiting guard at the door and picked up a cloth to clean his hands.

"You're… You're…" Kim stuttered. She was absolutely stunned at the sight before her.

The wounded operative spat out blood that had accumulated in his mouth and faced Kim, forcing out a smile.

"What's the matter, Kim? Still freezing around 'golden' guys, huh?" he jested.

"JOSH! JOSH MANKEY?" she asked and yelled at the same time. Josh replied with a bigger smile.

"Yup," he replied, "Josh Mankey in the flesh! We can really use your good ideas right now."

Kim forced herself out of her current state of shock. _How could he be a soldier? He didn't seem like the type to join the army._

"Wait… You're the United States' best soldier?" she asked.

"As much as I would want to be, no. I was just covering for my team leader. They only send him in when we're in a lot of trouble, and right now, we're in deeper shit than anyone can imagine. Now, do you actually have any ideas?"

"Shh… Alpha and Gemini are talking about something." Josh and Kim listened closely to the conversation between the Agent and the evil mastermind.

"…won't respond to your demands, sir," Alpha said. "They're never going to give in."

Gemini replied, "We may have to launch a nuke at Paris just to remind them of their place."

"What do you want me to do with those freaks over there?"

"I have no use for them…" Kim gulped. "Do whatever you want with them."

Alpha nodded, "I'll see you back in the Command Center, boss." Gemini left the room and disappeared. Alpha walked down the short stone-marked path towards the defenseless captives at the center of the forest.

"Since both of you really had done nothing to me, I'll go easy on you," he said with a wicked grin. "Agent Gamma, hand me the tazer."

Silence…

"Agent Gamma? Delta? Beta, are you out there?" Alpha yelled. Once again, he was replied to with an eerie silence. Alpha scowled. _Crap! Hunted again! First with Kim over here in the GA Chamber. Now, in my own frickin' headquarters._ He heard a crack, and ducked. A bullet grazed his cheek, soaking the wool mask the W.W.E.E. agent was wearing in warm blood. Alpha fired a burst from his blaster in the direction of the offending sound, and was rewarded with a grunt. The hidden assassin emerged from the shadows with an MP5.

"You still have crappy aim," the unknown operative said. He was standing partly in the shadows, hiding his face from view. "Never hit me."

Kim's eyes lit up. _I know that voice. Who is that guy?_ Kim turned her head to face Josh and she found him smiling. He nodded at her and mouthed, _Boss._

"You will pay for what you did to me in Wannaweep. You made me who I am." Feeling uncomfortable underneath the blood-soaked mask, Alpha pulled it off. Underneath was a man about Kim's age, who had unkempt brown hair. She immediately recognized him, and so did the man in the shadows.

"Gil, still on the wrong team, huh?" he jeered. "How's the dark side doing for you?"

"I'll show you…" Gil fired a shot at a heat detector and ran. Water rained down on the occupants of the room, soaking them completely. Gil let loose a torrent of automatic laser fire at the figure that had shot him, adding further confusion to the chaos ensuing in the room. Throwing a smoke grenade on the floor, it detonated and engulfed the greenhouse in smoke. In seconds, he disappeared out the door.

Josh called out, "Hey Boss! Over here!"

A dark blotch appeared and its features became clearer and clearer as the distance between the captives and the person diminished. The man bent over and placed something pink on the ground. It ran over and began unlocking their 'stretcher' holding units. As he walked up to Kim, his features became crystal clear. _Wheat-blond hair, freckles in triangular formations, chocolate brown eyes…_ Tears streamed out of her eyes as she suddenly realized who was walking towards her. Kim's locks came free and she ran over and hugged him.

"Stoppable's in the house. Boo Yah!"

* * *

Author's Note: Stay tuned for the next chapter! The grand finale of this story will be coming soon. 


End file.
